longissime summoveant Calvin praefat adv fanatic sect Libertin upon the walls of Jerusalem and will not blow the trumpet when the slie enemie under false colours a feigned word which he can give shall pretend he comes as a friend and so cut our throats Alas alas poore England thou hast many malignant watchmen that pretend to descrie and discover danger that are themselves most dangerous that have and do undo thee by daubing cursed silence in such a time as this Est 8.6 that are of thy enemies counsel are at a fee with him his pensioners If it were not so they would not betray the truth of God to vile sectaries as they now do O these carriages would make dumb stones speak It is irremissibile peccatum a sinne against the Holy Ghost saith Luther (t) In Epist ad Spalatin to be mealy-mouth'd when such pernitious leaveners poyson the bread of the houshold of faith 3 Every private Christian look to one look well about you Believe not every spirit but trie their doctrines whether they be of God or not 1 John 4.1 If any come that bring not this doctrine receive him not to house bid him not God speed 2 John 10. say thou of their clandestine meetings and adjure thy self as Jacob of Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.6 O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Pray God by his power to keep thee to salvation Lead not thy self into temptation Julian the Emperour became an Apostate by going to heare Libanius the sophister declame against the Christians Come not near the doore of their house knowest thou not that the dead ar there and that their guests are in the depths of hell Prov. 9.18 If corrupt doctrine be so dangerous take thou heed to thy self in leavening times and places and companies heedfully mind every sermon opinion tenet every book and discourse thou hearest seest readest carefully look unto every bit of bread the least morsell thou puttest into thy mouth lest some unsuspected crumb of unsound leaven be mingled therewith And this is the second point which we are fallen upon and now followeth in order to be handled viz. that Doct. 2 The people of God must with all possible caution and circumspection preserve themselves from being leavened corrupted and seduced Take heed beware (u) Tribus verbis utitur quo Apostoli reliqui omnes intelligant rem illam a qua ipsos tam sancte et serio dehortatur esse modis omnibus detestandam Deus enim etiam levissimas purioris suae doctrinae corruptelas nullo modo ferre potest vult ut sui discipuli Christiani non instar caetorum mox cuivis spiritui applaudant sed spiritus probent Chemnit Harm cap. 82. Deut. 13.3 Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that prophet (w) vid. Vincent Lirin cap. 15. upon that place of Deuteronomy chap. 13. who excellently paraphraseth thereon for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart 8 thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him read the place from vers 1. to the 14. Jer. 23.16 Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesie unto you they make you vain they speak a vision of their own heart Matth. 7.15 Beware of false prophets (x) also on Math. 7.15 read Vinc. Lir. cap. 36. Mar. 4.24 Take heed what you heare Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore to your selves and to the flock 29 shall grievous wolves enter in among you 30 also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them 31 Therefore watch and remember that Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs beware of evil-workers beware of Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoyl you through And good reason have we to be thus carefull in regard of 1 our Own souls 2 Sectaries and leavening Teachers 3 Doctrines delivered by them Reasons 1. In regard of our selves 1 In regard of our selves Because it is a matter which much concerneth us a businesse of great consequence our immortall souls which are more worth then all the world are in danger lie at stake may come to be perverted poysoned destroyed damned through our base neglect Matth. 23.15 they make him viz. The Pharisaicall leaveners make their proselytes two fold more the child of hell then themselves 2 Pet. 2.1 who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them ver 2. and many shall follow their pernitious wayes ver 3. with feigned words make merchandise of you The Apostles words are emphaticall and weighty 1. will not a wise Christian take heed of that which will bring upon him an irrecoverable losse that may undo him for ever and break his back heresies are damnable 2. would a man walk in a way which would bring him to some ill end these are pernitious wayes 3 would a wise and free-born man be bought and sold Like a slave or beast (y) Bez. not Major in 2 Pet. 2. tanquam pecoribus ad nundinationem these with feigned words make merchandise of you As therefore in fairs we look to our purses take heed of cheaters as in times of warwe gird on our swords and will not be unprovided for an enemies encounter as in times of infection we provide Antidotes comfort and preserve our spirits fence and corroborate the vitals so should we take as great care of our souls and blesse our selves out of the company of smitting and contagious leaveners seducers Touch not that pitch which will not easily be got off S. John that beloved disciple accidentally being in the Bath where Cerinthus was (z) Cerinthus maintained that the world was made by Angels that circumcision and other legal rites were to be observed that Jesus Christ was a meer man not risen again but should rise that Christ should reign a thousand years on earth and men should enjoy al sensual pleasures vid. Augustin de Haeres 8. he leaped out of the Bath unbathed because he feared the Bath should have fallen seeing that enemy to the truth was within Such feare and zeal had the Apostles saith Irenaeus that they would not communicate a word with them that adulterated the truth as Master Fox relateth it Acts Mon-vol 1. P. 48. Secondly because of the number nature of corrupting seducing Leaveners 2 In regard of false teachers 1 For number many false prophets are gone out into the world 1. John 4.1 not as many which corrupt the word of God 2. Cor. 2.17 many walk enemies of the crosse of Christ Phil. 3.18 Therefore as a man that hath a charge of money 1. Many in a way where many robbers haunt in a faire where many cheaters and cut-purses come had need look well about him be very wary and circumspect or as in times and places of the Pestilence where many be infected shut up and die of
vere nihil enim plane comedebant usque ad noctem aliquandiu post occasum solis Mont. Appar 7. Sect. 23. Theophylact Drusius in Luke 18.12 3. Phylacteries or small scrols of parchment (q) Ipsi simbrias protrahebant in oris earum spinas ligabant quarum assiduis punctionibus pedes tibiae sanguine aspersae monstrabantur ea solum ratione ut populis vitae poenitudinem ostentarent Tolet in Joan. cap. 18. in which certain select sentences of the Law were written by Gods own appointment Deut. 6 8 9. bound to the head hand skirts but the Pharisees in an hypocritical vain-glorious (r) Non ut exactam legis observationem praestarent sed quia his hominum gloriam existimationem ambibant idem Ambitionis animalia Mont. Appar 7. Sect. 4. 31. humour enlarged these above ordinary and are therefore censured by our Saviour Mat. 23.5 4. Praying often much in private (Å¿) Privatis orationibus domi adeo incumbebant ut se somni privarent beneficio Epiphan aeneam sphaeram manu tenere consuescebat pelvi subjecta ut cum e manu sphaera in pelvim excidisset sono excitatus Pharisaeus somnum excuteret se componeret denuo ad orationem vid Montacut Apparat. 7. Sect. 17. and in publike Mat. 6.5 7. But with much superstition and hypocrisie 5. Paines to make Proselytes gather Churches Mat. 23.15 or scatter (t) in schismaticis vel haereticis congregationibus vel potius segregationibus Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 11. rather Mat. 12.30 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the childe of hell then your selves (u) Miseri homines infelices qui per bona etiam opera gehennam licitarentur Secondly 2. Sadduces The Sadduces So named from Sadoc [w] Antigoni discipulo qui cum defecisset ad templum montis Gerizim a Manasse inter Samaritas constructum Alexandro Magno regnante haeresin intulit Sadducaeorum Godwin lib. 3. cap. 2. Antiq. hebraic others say tsedeck justitia ironice the founder of that Sect as Brownists from Brown and Arrians Arminians Donatists Pelagians Socinians c. from their first heresiarch were a sort of Samaritane miscreant mungrell-Jews who 1. Stuck stifly to the bare letter of the Law admitting onely the Pentateuch Moses 5 Books for canonicall Scripture but rejected 1. The Psalmes Prophets and all other Scriptures Hence our Saviour confutes them out of Moses Exod. 3 6. in the point of Resurrection which they denyed Mat. 22.32 2. All traditions and Comments on the Text and were thence called Karaim Biblers Scripturists 2. Denyed the Holy Ghost as also Angels Spirits Acts 23.8 The Sadduces say that there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit 3. Maintained the souls of men to be mortall to dye as the beasts and be annihilated no resurrection at all or future retribution to good or bad Luke 20.27 no heaven no hell thus putting off at once all sense of Religion prophane Atheists arrant Epicures (x) Dementiam potius Epicuream quam legis divinae jura sectabantur inquit Philastrius opening a wide gap to all licentiousnesse (y) Omnem religio niâ—â—ensum excusserunt carni ad effraenem peccandi licentiam viam aperuerunt Chemnit Harm cap. 82. and abominable practises 3. Herodians Thirdly The Herodians Were a Court-faction of seducing Parasites by Nation Jews (z) Drusius saith Greeks but trained up at Court or employed thence as Herods Agents Secta Aulica saith Master Calvin in Mat. 22.16 Herodis domestici Syr. Interp. Whose Religion like the Turkish Alcoran was a hotch-potch medley patcht up of Paganism and Judaism * novam quandam religionem ex Paganismo Judaismo conssabant Bez. in Mat. 22.16 nimirum mixturam quandam religionis ex Pharisaismo pariter Sadducaeismo conflatam ex utraque enim secta receperunt ea quae ad stabiliendam dominationem commodissima videbantur ut sic populum in regis sui partes traherent Chemnit Harm cap. 82. They who were tutor'd in this Court-Religion sowred with the leaven of Herod 1. Cryed up Herod among the common people as their promised Messiah (a) Herodem arbitrabantur esse illum Christum in prophetis in lege omnibus promissum ab omnibus expectatum Epiphan Hieronym in Mat. 22. Montac Ap. 7. Sect. 67. the Scepter now departed from Iudah and no other King of the Jews visibly appearing but he the Herodian-Chaplains Court-Parasites are prime sticklers to perswade the people to receive him for the expected Messiah 2. Honoured Herod with superstitious solemnities annually observing his birth-day Herodis venere dies Pers Satyr 5. 3. Humour'd Herod turn'd Sadduces Epicures were of his Atheisticall opinions followed his licentious living and loose (b) Bezain Notis Major in Mat. 22.16 fermentum Herodis quod est manifesta impletas profanus Dei contemptus estraenis licentia Chemnit Harmon Evang. cap. 61. practices were moulded into his lewd ungodly manners wretched and profane temporizers Mark 6.14.16.18 4. Were rigid exacters of Caesars tribute which was an Herodian principle of Court Divinity (c) aulicae etiam Theologiae subsidio fulcire regnum suum rather State-policie which this domineering usurper catechized his creatures into clean against the hair of the Jewish immunity from taxes anciently prescribed to by them point-blank crossing the popular maxime of a free State and liberty of the subject John 8.33 and was the occasion of sundry rebellions and broyls as that of Theudas Judas of Galilee Act. 5.36 This tribute did Herod squeeze out of their purses to gratifie Augustus and keep in at the Romane Court lest the Crown which Caesar had set on his usurping head he should again pull off This morsell of Herodian-Leaven lay heavy on the Jews stomach which though they were forced to swallow yet they could never well digest And thus having shewed you the Devils bakers (d) Diabolum in domo Domini pistorem agere velle habere suos quosdam incarnatos Pistorios qui diabolicum fermentum spiritualem fastum superbiam fidelibus admiscere conantur quo eos Deo insipidos hominibus molestos reddant Chemnit Harm cap. 61. who these Sectaries were and given you a taste or essay of their dangerous Leaven what they held The third particular of the Historicall part of the Text now follows What the carridge and demeanour of the Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians was towards our Saviour Christ his Gospell Disciples c. All these three sorts of hereticall Sectaries though at deadly feud among themselves (e) capitales alias essent â—inimicitiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter se discordabant Chemnit harm Evan cap. 49. cap. â—â— Montacut Apparat. T. S. 21. and mortall enemies each to other in asserting their hellish principles yet they joyned hand in hand and were firmly
Leaven corrupting the Childrens Bread OR Christs Caveat to beware of Sectaries and their dangerous Doctrines IN TWO SERMONS on Mark 8.15 The former preached in the Cathedrall Church of Lincoln at the Lecture on Wednesday October 1. 1645. The latter in another Auditorie By JOHN CLARKE B. D. and Pastor of the Church of Fiskerton neere Lincoln 2 Tim. 3.13 14. But evill men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of c. 2 Tim. 4.3 4 5. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching eares And they shall turn away their eares from the truth and shall be turned unto fables But watch thou in all things Aug. ad Hieronym Resecandae sunt putridae carnes scabiosa ovis ab ovili repellenda est nè tota domus Massa pecora ardeant corrumpantur putrescant â—â—â—tereant Arrius in Alexandria una scintilla fuit sed quia non statim oppressus est totum orbem ejus flamma populata est LONDON Printed by John Macock for Luke Fawne and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1646. The Epistle to the Reader Christian READER ALthough I be neither so obscure in the world as not to know or be known unto some great and good men too some Theophilus unto whom I might perhaps with acceptation dedicate and entitle the following sermons nor so badly beloved befriended that either my pains or person need fear slighting discountenance or contempt Yet I chuse rather at this time as one not ashamed or afraid in this particular to be counted Independent to let these plain sermons passe abroad withovt ambitious affecting wooing the patronage wearing the Liverie of any great name but onely thine Christian who art truly great and honourable yea of the blood royall partaker of the Divine nature whose father brother hope happinesse inheritance crown are all in heaven It is the truth of Iesus Christ which I preach and will I doubt not be entertained by such with due respect who know and follow Christs voice Every truth ought to be precious unto us What is truth if not this which issued out of the mouth of truth it self The sad experience we all have of the present distempers of our Church in regard of a perverse spirit of errour mingled among us tels us our need of being charged to take heed beware of Leaven Abundans cautela non nocet I and thou have lift up our hands unto the Lord the most high God the possessor of heaven and earth Gen. 14.22 and by the solemne nationall covenant stand â—ouâ—â— without respect of persons to endevour the extâ—ipatâ—on of poperie superstition heresy schism profanesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of Godlinesse Who shall can disengage us of this Bond How ever in the preaching of these Sermons I pleased not some who with a shie discontented countenance a maligne disdainfull eye since have looked on me over me as the Dâ—vil looked over Lincoln according to our country 〈◊〉 Yet by men judicious godly orthodox what I preached 〈◊〉 â—â—en accepted accounted a word in season profitable 〈◊〉 through whose importunity now at last it is thâ—◠〈…〉 presented to thine eye If it may do any good to the common cause and bâ—â— bucket to quench the scare-fire an Antidote against the infection of the times I shall be glad 'T is not my purpose to exâ—â—â—â—â—tâ— I wish rather to heal the canker sore I desire to be faithfull to Christ and his peoples souls not to please men or for itch their itching eares to move planctum rather then plâ—â—sum to speak to their hearts not to feed their humourous fancies Plain dealing is a jewel yet they that use it die beggars I matter it no for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1.10 The Lord stir up the spirit of every found truly good Christian to stand up as Gods witnesse and greatly to contend for the faith which waâ— oâ—â—e delivered to the Saints So prayeth Thy servant in his ministerie John Clark Leaven corrupting the childrens Bread OR Christs caveat to beware of Sectaries and their dangerous Doctrines MARK 8.15 And He charged them saying Take heed beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod UPON occasion of the late miraculous feeeding of four thousand people with seven loaves as we finde in ver 6 7 8 9. of this present Chapter Our blessed Saviour whose manner usually was (a) Sican enim Joh. 6. Christus ex miraculo quinque panum occasionem sumpsit docendi de pane caelesti qui vitam assert mundo ita hic ex miraculo septem panum nuper edito eorum fermentatione occasionem sumit Apostolos instituendi de fermento Pharisaeorum Sadducaeorum quo illi sinceram doctrinam verbi divini quod est panis vitae corrumpunt Chemn Harm Evan. c. 82. to improve earthly sensible obvious objects to spirituall advantages draweth off the minds of his hearers raiseth up the hearts of his Disciples to more high and heavenly meditations minding them of another kinde of bread fore-warning them of another kind of leaven than was used and eaten ordinarily in their houses and set on their tables viz. False Doctrine (b) fermentum Pharisaeorum in doctrina consistit falsa Chemnit Harm cap. 61. fermentum Pharisaeorum Sadducaeorum non corporalem panem sed traditiones perversas haeretica significat dogmata R. Mont. poysonous positions soul-damning principles (c) impia Pharisaeorum doctrina fermento comparatur propter vim noxiam seducendi homines praecipitandi in exitium Paraeus in 1. ad Corinth cap. 5. v. 6. broached broken among the people dropped here and there and crumbled into the Bread of Life the Word of God by sundry pernicious Sectaries of those times Pharisees Sadduces for I take in them too as I am warranted from Mat. 16.6 and Herodians who did shamefully vitiate grossely corrupt the sincere (d) est hic sermo metaphoricus Chemn harm cap. 82. denotat id quo nativa rei puritas inficitur opponitur puro ac simplici Dei verbo genuine truth of the Word of God soul-bread with their erroneous glosses and traditions for so without all metaphor the Disciples understood That he bode them not beware of the Leaven of Bread (e) non ex panibus sed ex cordibus vult fermentum expurgari Paraeus ibid. but of the Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Mat. 16.12 2. Parts In the Words observe two particulars 1. A Duty charged on the Disciples 2. Reasons pressing it 1. Duty 1. The Duty charged upon them is this viz. Carefully to heed whatsoever Doctrines they might occasionally heare as a businesse
not the things which are Jesus Christs Their own 1. Profit gainfull places offices an heart they have exercised with covetous practises 2 Pet. 2.14 teaching things which they (f) Avaritia est plerumque haeresium comes fomes mater nutrix Ames in 2 Pet. 2 3. ought not for filthy lucres sake Tit. 1.11 supposing that gain is godlines 1 Tim. 6.5 5. The Pharisees devoured widows houses and their so zealous pains in making proselytes was but to get the fat morsells on their own trencher (g) Quaerebant discipulos quos pecuniis emungere possent non quod salutem animarum procurare curabant Montac Apparat. 7. sect 28. 2 Credit honour and esteem among men love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the Synagogues and greetings in the markets and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi Matth 23.6.7 they love to be looked at as the onely religious ones to be followed admired all other are No bodies to them True grace is truly honourable where it is in truth The Lord makes his people glorious within and not to seek honour from without by vain ostentation 3 Pleasure and ease their belly back Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17.18 enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Phil. 3.18 19. 2 Proud 1 Tim. 6.4 He is proud 2 Pet. 2 18. they speak great swelling words of vanity They set up their own righteousnes worth works as if they and none but they were Gods Saints holy ones his anoynted Their congregations the onely church on earth all other reformed churches are in their esteem the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird as Saint Iohn Rev. 18.2 saith of Babylon They brag of the Spirit new light Moncer reproached Luther that he wanted the spirit of revelation and preached onely a carnall Gospel They brag of their parts abilities graces precious men beyond the Apostles That Christ himself could (h) See Mr Edwards Gangrene pag. 44 preach no better then some of them One of their tribe is affirmed to be the ablest man in England for prayer preaching expounding the Scripture They appropriate (i) Audent etenim polliceri et docere quod in ecclesia sua id est in communionis suae conventiculo magna specialis ac plane personalis quaedam sit Dei gratia adeo ut sine ullo labore sine ullo studio sine ulla industria etiamsi nec quaerant nec pulsent quicunque illi ad numerum suum pertinent tamen ita divinitus dispensentur ut angelicis c. Vinc. Lirin cap. 37. to themselves the name of the godly well affected party all others are malignants cavaliers And all hereticks generally that it may be known from whence their doctrines are have a spirit of Luciferian pride in them and are hence distinguishable from the humble lowly * that five such yong men and no deeplier studied should thus proudly and tanquam ex tripode so magisterially conclude against al the reformed Churches Antapolog page 194 195. meek mortified servants of Christ as the Britains asking counsell of a certain holy Anchorite concerning the receiving of Augustine the monk and his doctrine and government in the British Church were told that they might discern whether he were a man of God by his meek and humble mindednesse but if he be stout and proud he was not of God they might be bold (k) Godwins Histor of Bishops page 44. 3 Persecuters of the right wayes of God 2 Pet. 2.2 Were ever any more bitter enemies to the truth then sectaries How implacable was the rage of (l) Mr Hooker eccles polit in the Preface So the Arminians in the Netherlands Antapol p. 279. the leavening Pharisees Sadduces against our Saviour and his Apostles How cruell even as a beare robbed of her whelps were the Germane (m) Sleidan lib. 5. Anabaptists And such persecuting spirits have our Leaveners now as appeares by their tongues pennes practises (n) witnesse the many scurrilous bitter base biting papers pamphlets books of theirs Arraignment of Pers c. They will have never a priest in England ere they have done Hanging is too good for us 'T is pity we are not pulled out of the pulpit They call us Baalites Antichristian If any godly Pauls spirit be stirred in him at their strange and erroneous courses and Doctrines he is presently discountenanced c. Some have not failed to tell us that if we ever look to get livings and places to maintain us We must turn to them and hang the black coat on a willow tree But they persecute our church and nation God they say is not among us we are Moabites Ammonites Samaritanes without Christ Aliens from the common wealth of Israel strangers from the covenants of promise They persecute and blaspheme our baptisme they dressed a cat like a child to be baptized invited many (o) See M. Edwards Gangr p. 67. men and women and then had one to preach against baptizing of Infants and it is generally observable in them that they will neither administer Baptisme to Infants or the Lords supper to grown Christians An uncharitable course and harsh dealing it is thus to make their own mother an harlot their brethren bastards the breasts they have sucked and Church in which they have been bred upon whose knees they have been dandled an Antichristian stewes none of us they shew any Christian or common respect unto more then a Turk or a Jew or an Indian but shun us separate from us if they condescend sometimes to speak a word it is like court holy-water That their heart is not with us their poor cold blew remote discourses testifie This went to Davids heart Psal 55.12.13.14 .. that not an enemy reproached him but it was thou a man mine equal my guide and mine acquaintance we took sweet counsell together and walked unto the house of God in company That such because we now are not just of their cue should quite unchurch us * See Mr Edwards his Antap. pa. 45 46. un-saint us un-hope us un-God us and un-heaven us too is very harsh But thus did the Pharisaicall sectaries they persecuted Christ and all those that believed in him Joh. 9.29.34 or defended him they cast him out viz. the blind man whom Christ had restored to sight The fourth and last point yet remains of which in order Doct. 4 The greatnesse or seeming goodnesse of any mans person should not so captivate or bewitch the people of God that they should suffer themselves to be seduced catched or poisoned by them even Sadduces Pharisees and